Category: Uncategorized

  • Preaching Paths 1 June 2024 Eastertide 7C

    [I apologize for the omission of the expected homiletical commentary  for this date,  a section of the “High Priestly” intercession of Jesus, John 17:20-26.—Sally A. Brown]

  • Preaching Paths (S. Brown) & Grammar (Y. Petropoulos), 25 May 2025 Eastertide 6C

    Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary This week’s lection, John 14:23-29, is again taken from Jesus’ “Farewell Discourse,” in which he prepares his disciples for his imminent departure. Jesus speaks of three promises, or divine gifts, each as crucial for sustaining faith in our day as they were for the disciples. First, Jesus…

  • 18th May 2025, 5th Sunday of Easter

    St John 13:31-35 Love one another 13:31When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. 13:32 If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. 13:33 Little children, I am with…

  • Preaching Paths 18 May 2025 Eastertide 5C

    Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Today’s brief gospel text, John 13:31-35, sends us back—well into Eastertide!—to pre-crucifixion words of Jesus. These verses speak of his crucifixion as “glorification.” Then, in words both simple and profound, Jesus presents our post-resurrection task: to love through action, as he has loved us. Preachers will need…

  • Preaching Paths 11 May 2025 Eastertide 4C

    Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary The language of today’s text, John 10:22-30, is relatively uncomplicated, yet it places before us not only several bracing, positive themes, but also long-standing, divisive theological issues. Preachers will need to decide which of several messages their particular listeners most need to hear. Two issues embedded in…

  • Preaching Paths 4 May 2025 Eastertide 3 Yr C

    Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary John 21 is considered by some scholars to be a late addition to John’s gospel. The final verses of ch 20 seem to constitute a summative ending to the narrative; yet, some suggest that ch 21 is a deliberate epilogue of a kind not uncommon in ancient…

  • 27th April 2025, 2nd Sunday of Easter

    St John 20:19-31 Beholding the wounds of the risen Christ 20:19 When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors were locked where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 20:20 After he said this,…

  • Preaching Paths 27 April 2025 Eastertide 2 Yr C

    Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary The Gospel text before us today, John 20:19-31, is regarded by many scholars as the original ending of the Gospel of John.* In v 31, the writer states the purpose of his book: that those who read or hear it “may believe that Jesus is the Messiah,…

  • Easter Sunday, 13th April 2025

    St John 20: 1-18 [1]Τῇ δὲ μιᾷ τῶν σαββάτων Μαρία ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ ἔρχεται πρωῒ σκοτίας ἔτι οὔσης εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον, καὶ βλέπει τὸν λίθον ἠρμένον ἐκ τοῦ μνημείου.  [2]τρέχει οὖν καὶ ἔρχεται πρὸς Σίμωνα Πέτρον καὶ πρὸς τὸν ἄλλον μαθητὴν ὃν ἐφίλει ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς, καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· ἦραν τὸν Κύριον ἐκ τοῦ μνημείου, καὶ οὐκ…

  • Preaching Paths 20 April 2025  Easter Day Year C John 20:1-18*

    Sally A Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary Each of the four gospels describes events that take place at Jesus’ tomb early on the first day of the week following Jesus’ crucifixion. All are different; yet, on two points they agree: the tomb was found open, and Mary Magdalene was there. One may disagree with…